Travelogue from my visit to Digdir
I recently had the pleasure of spending three weeks on a secondment at Digdir (Norwegian Digitalization Agency) through DIGIT! And it turned out to be a rewarding detour.
By Eline Hovstad Raphaug, PhD candidate at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology and DIGIT alumnus from Class of 2024.
Image by DIGIT
In my PhD, I’m looking into how information systems and digital data are used for governance within public health organizations, which aligned well with some of Digdir’s engagements. I was warmly welcomed into the section working for coordinated digital services and life events, and quickly settled into their offices in Oslo.
During my stay, I was given insights into some of the most relevant projects they are working on. In case there was any doubt: there are a lot of interesting things going on in Digdir! I had the chance to engage in fruitful discussions with incredibly knowledgeable people, that I will carry with me as I continue my PhD journey. Seeing my research topics reflected from new angles was both refreshing and clarifying. I was also given the opportunity to present and discuss my PhD and preliminary results at a section meeting. Translating my work to a new audience was a valuable exercise in itself, but even more rewarding was discovering that what I’m working on resonates beyond academia and my specific study context. This all gave me new inspiration to continue writing on my current journal article, which I progressed on in parallel during my stay.
“Translating my work to a new audience was a valuable exercise in itself, but even more rewarding was discovering that what I’m working on resonates beyond academia and my specific study context”
Besides discussions, idea sharing, and article sessions, I had the opportunity to attend both the Stimulab day and the national conference hosted by Digdir. These events offered a glimpse into the breadth and ambitions of Digdir’s work. In my view, Digdir plays a key role in making public-sector digitalization safer, more coherent, and more forward-looking, particularly at a time when AI is steadily expanding its reach into both tasks and decision-making.
Thanks so much to Digdir and everyone there who made me feel welcome! From insightful conversations to social gatherings, I was included in a way that made it easy to forget I was just visiting.
Yours truly,
Eline
